Committee Chaos: TVUSD School Board’s Productivity Problem
1TVPAC Team
In K-12 public school districts, school boards are the governing bodies for the district and are critical to ensuring transparency and supporting the district’s educational goals. Trustees are elected to represent the interests of the community, to set policies, approve budgets, and oversee the general management of the district.
A trustee’s work often involves serving on committees and subcommittees. When managed well, these committees can support effective decision-making. But when mismanaged or overused, they can cause problems—especially when the trustee’s role and that of district staff become blurred.
This article explores the ideal role of trustees in committee and subcommittee work, the pitfalls of excessive involvement, and how the Temecula Valley Unified School District’s (TVUSD’s) current subcommittee structure works.
The Roles of Trustees and District Staff
School board trustees provide strategic direction and oversight; they do not manage day-to-day operations of the district. Their primary role includes setting policy, establishing budgets, hiring the superintendent, and ensuring that the district meets its goals.
District staff, in contrast, are responsible for implementing the board’s policies and the daily operations of the district. The superintendent and other senior district staff manage day-to-day decisions and oversee the work of teachers, administrators, and other employees.
This distinction is important, because when trustees become too involved in operational matters, they can hinder decision making and undermine district staff’s ability to perform their jobs effectively. Trustees should support the staff’s work and hold them accountable rather than overstepping their role.
Committees and Subcommittees: A Tool for Governance, Not Overreach
Committees and subcommittees are a useful part of the school board’s work. These smaller groups allow a subset of trustees to focus on specific issues, gain more in-depth knowledge, and make informed recommendations to the full board.
Committees typically remain the same year after year and focus on curriculum, facilities, and student achievement at school sites. One or two interested trustees serve on these standing committees.
Subcommittees are typically formed for specific or time-sensitive tasks, providing focused attention to individual projects or issues. Usually two trustees are assigned to a subcommittee, and they work together with appropriate district staff.
While committees and subcommittees can be powerful tools for governance, overuse or misuse is a risk. Too many of them significantly burdens district staff, who must spend many hours explaining, attending lengthy meetings, and being involved in decisions that may be outside their responsibility. All of this distracts staff from their core responsibilities, creating inefficiencies and gaps in services.
TVUSD’s Standing Committees
TVUSD has 15 standing committees. The board reviews them every year and trustees select which ones they want to be on. This list of district committees (see below) has not changed much in the last few years and serves to provide trustees with both information and opportunity for input on many areas of TVUSD.
Some committees meet monthly; most meet bimonthly or less frequently, so they are not a huge time commitment for trustees or district staff. Up to two board members can be on each committee, and many committees include school site staff and community members as well. Currently 14 of these committees have one or two board members assigned to them.
Activities Directors Committee
Athletic Advisory Committee
CAP Meetings (Site meetings)
Community Advisory Committee - Special Education
CTE Advisory
DELAC
Equity, Access, Inclusion (EAI)
Employee Recognition Committee
Master Facilities Committee
Parent Advisory Committee
Safety & Security/WVPP Committee
Secondary Curriculum Council
Superintendent’s Student Council
Superintendent's Council
TVUSD/City Committee
TVUSD’s Subcommittee Structure: A Case of Overuse
TVUSD’s subcommittees are a different case: the board has approved a 350% increase in subcommittees in just three short months. These subcommittees are in addition to the 15 listed standing committees that have existed for years.
In many cases these new subcommittees do not focus on high-level governance and oversight but instead delve into operational matters better left to district staff. District staff are constantly pulled into these subcommittee meetings to provide reports, answer questions, and participate in discussions that often duplicate existing staff functions.
For example, subcommittees that focus on operational issues such as staffing, curriculum, and budgeting encroach upon the responsibilities of capable district leaders. District staff should be empowered to carry out their duties efficiently and without undue interference from board members.
As of this writing, Trustee Komrosky is on 11 committees and subcommittees, Trustees Barham and Schwartz are on 9, and Trustees Anderson and Wiersma are each on 7. Each trustee has requested to be on the various committees, not assigned or forced.
At the March 25th board meeting, most of the board members had nothing to report on the subcommittees they created. Only Mr. Barham had meaningful reports on subcommittee work. However, in the case of the budget committee, it appeared that no effective work was done; Mr. Barham and Mr. Schwartz simply met for hours with staff and learned about the TVUSD budgeting process. While that may be helpful for them as trustees, it is a burden on the fiscal staff—who are already clearly doing an excellent job.
The Impact of Overuse on District Staff
TVUSD’s excessive committees have several negative impacts on district staff. First, they lead to a bloated bureaucracy where decisions are delayed or bogged down in redundant discussions. When trustees are too involved in the details of district operations, confusion, workflow disruptions, and wasted staff time are the result.
District staff’s frequent involvement in subcommittee meetings also leads to confusion about roles and responsibilities. If staff feel they are being micromanaged, morale and efficient decisions suffer. And staff may hesitate to take initiative or make decisions due to fear of being second-guessed by trustees.
In addition, staff are burdened with duplicate work, often reiterating or reformatting reports previously presented to other groups or committees. This duplication is a waste of time and funds.
The bottom line is that hours spent on subcommittees keep district staff from doing their jobs—addressing students’ and teachers’ educational, health, and safety needs.
Striking the Right Balance: Appropriate Oversight and Good Governance
To maintain good governance, trustees must stay focused on their role of strategic oversight and policy-making, rather than micromanaging day-to-day operations. Trustees should limit their involvement in subcommittees to matters of high-level policy, long-term goals, or special projects. And these committees should provide recommendations to the full board, not engage in direct operational decision-making.
To avoid overreach, the TVUSD school board should consider a few key changes:
Limit the number of subcommittees: The board should focus on key areas where committee work is necessary. Instead of creating subcommittees for every issue, the board should prioritize a few major areas of focus and trust district staff to handle the operational details.
Clearly define roles: Trustees should focus on the strategic and policy aspects of governance, while district staff manages day-to-day operations. This distinction should be clear, with committees supporting the board’s oversight functions rather than micromanaging staff.
Report efficiently: Instead of relying on frequent hours-long subcommittee meetings with staff, trustees should receive periodic updates from district staff on major projects, initiatives, and challenges. These reports should provide sufficient detail to allow trustees to make informed decisions without the need for excessive subcommittee meetings.
Trust staff expertise: District staff are hired for their expertise in managing operations. Trustees should trust their judgment and provide the support needed for staff to implement policies and programs without unnecessary interference.
The last word
School board trustees are fundamental to the success of any K-12 public school district, but they must operate within the confines of their governance role. While committees and subcommittees are an essential tool for supporting the board’s work, overuse leads to wasted time and morale issues, and distracts everyone from their primary job of educating students.
To avoid these problems, TVUSD must reassess the number of subcommittees and their scope. Trustees should focus on high-level oversight, policy development, and long-term planning, allowing district staff to handle the day-to-day responsibilities. By setting clear boundaries between governance and operations, the district can create an environment where both trustees and staff can work together to achieve the best outcomes for students, staff, and the community.
